Best for Vets: Business Schools 2014 methodology

Mar. 10, 2014 - 10:43AM
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Ohio State University Fisher College of Business MBA students, from left, former Marine Capt. Patrick Ross, former Navy Lt. Chad Schuett, former Army Capt. Silki Cho and former Army Sgt. Davin Korstjens. (Courtesy of Ohio State University)

Best for Vets: Business Schools 2014

Some 140 colleges and universities responded to this year’s Best for Vets: Business Schools survey. Only institutions that participated in our detailed Best for Vets: Colleges survey, and indicated in that survey that they offer graduate business degrees, were considered in this review. To create the rankings, we scored schools’ survey responses to both the Business Schools survey and parts of the Colleges survey based on what veterans have told us is important to them as well as on our own editorial judgment. We also factored in Education Department statistics commonly used to track student success and academic quality. Overall, schools were evaluated in five categories: university culture, student support, academic outcomes and quality, academic policies, and cost and financial aid. The value of each section was comparable, but university culture and student support counted the most, and financial aid counted the least. Many factors other than those listed in the chart were considered to develop the rankings.

Fall 2013 enrollment shows the business school’s overall enrollment for that semester as well as how many of those students were tracked by the school as active-duty or veteran service members, except where otherwise indicated.

At or below TA cap means graduate business programs did not exceed the military tuition assistance limit of $250 per credit hour for active-duty students in the 2012-13 school year.

At or below Post-9/11 limits indicates whether the cost of graduate business programs would have been fully covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill in the 2012-13 school year for all students using the benefit at 100 percent eligibility. Public schools must waive out-of-state tuition rates for this to be the case; private schools must not exceed the $18,077.50 cap.

Yellow Ribbon rates a school’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, under which a school and the Veterans Affairs Department partner to partially or completely make up the difference between a school’s tuition rate and the amount covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Schools with “n/a” indicated that Post-9/11 fully covered their tuition costs, so Yellow Ribbon was not needed. Stars are awarded based on the proportion of students receiving Yellow Ribbon scholarships and the value of those awards. Best rating is four stars.

Accepts ACE-recommended credits means the business school accepts at least some academic credits for military training as recommended by the American Council on Education.

Staff support rates the number of staff members dedicated to veterans issues, the amount of time they spend on veterans issues, and the scope and frequency of military-related training for teachers and administrators throughout the school. The rating reflects both the business school and the larger university.

Academic support rates the types of academic help provided, such as tutoring, mentors and learning communities, considering both what is offered and whether there is a separate version of the assistance for veterans. A school’s withdrawal and re-enrollment policies for deployed service members also are considered. The rating reflects both the business school and the larger university.

Average GMAT shows the average Graduate Management Admission Test scores for applicants to the school for the fall 2013 semester, as reported by the school. Schools without scores either did not consider, or did not provide us information on, the GMAT scores of applicants.